A number of our informants who had spoken Maori as young children had gradually lost their knowledge of Maori. For some this was because grandparents, their main source of contact with Maori, had died; and for others moving to an environment where English was the main language spoken had caused them to lose, or partially lose, their first language. In particular people mentioned the isolation they felt when they moved to the city, where the Maori population was relatively small and scattered, as being a major factor in the deterioration of their Maori. Even those who could still speak Maori fluently found it difficult to find people to converse with in Maori. In fact, one woman said she had decided to move back to her home area to try to "renew her Maori background.
